Quick-acting vise



May 28, 1946 1-. GORZELANY QUICK ACTING VISE 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed July 5, 1943 Thomas 6'orzelany of 'two:cams,one of which Patented May 28, 1946 U NlTE-D STATES PATENT gist-s OFFICE 2,401,066 QUlCK-ACTING vise Thomas Gorzelany, Mount Clemens, Mich. Application July 5, 1943, Serial No. 493512 (cash-2e) '9 Claims.

Thisinvention relates to'vises and particularly quick action Vises.

An object of the invention is to mount-on the base of a vise a unit comprising a sliding-jaw and a setting block for such jaw, such unit being rquickly movable to a work-clamping position, (and to equip said :block with mechanism for quickly clamping it to the base 'andior setting up .ahighpr'essure work-clamping reaction between the block andjaw.

, Another o-bjectis to employ-asingle actuating element for-:saidmechanism to clamp the block to thebaseand apply the desired pressure to the jaw.

Anotherobject is to employ 'carns randnprefei ably cams of an eccentric type to apply high pressures for clamping the "block to the base and the slidingjawto'the work.

Another object isto adapt a single actuating element for the block-clamping and jaw-clamp- .ing provisions to be adjusted so that, when a quantity-oflike work pieces are to besuccessively clamped, the block may be leftina set position, during actuation of said elementfor clamping 'andrreleasing saidwork'piece's.

Another-:object isto *pivot'a lever on said setting block and'adapt it to actuate one or'both serves for clamping the block in*'a i-set position and the other i or applying work-clamping pressure to the slding jaw.

These and various other objects are attained by the construction hereinafter described and illustrated by the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig, 1 lsatop plan view of .theimproved vise, illustrating a work-.cl'ampingposition thereof.

Fig.2 is :aiside elevational view of the same.

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view-on the line 3'3Jof Fig; 2.

.Fig. 4 is a :crossxsection on the line 4-4 of Fig.2.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary longitudinal section, on the line 5---5of Fig.4.

Fig. 6 is .a fragmentary longitudinal section, on the lineB-fi of. Fig. 4.

Fig. 7 is a longiudinal section on the line 1-1 of Fig. 1, showing the handle adjusted to take eife'ct only on the jaw clamping mechanism, and positioned to release clamping pressure.

Fig. 8 isacrosssectional View of the handle on the line 88 of Fig. '7.

In these views, the reference'character I designates an elongated rectangular hase having a vise jaw -2 fixed on one of its ends. Said jaw maybe held'fixed in any desired manner, there being illustrated two stud bolts 3 headed beneath the base and upwardly extended through the latter to engage the jaw. The bottom face of the base-is channeled from end to end thereof, :as indicated at 4 to accommodate the heads ofsaid bolts and certain other parts presently to be de scribed. Coacting with the jaw 2 is a sliding jaw 5 having a setting block -8 associated therewith, said sliding jaw and block having depending guide tongues l and la fitted in aslot 8 which opens upwardly from the channel 4 and extends from the fiXed jaw t0 the opposite end portion of the base. The jaw 5 is slidingly held on the base by a clamping piece 9 underlying the base within the channel 4 and having atongueentering the slot 8 and seating against the tongue of thesliding jaw. said block being clamped to the sliding jaw by a stud bolt Hi. The setting block is formed with a central cavity I l intojwhich project eccentrics 12 and l3iormed terminallyon apair of similar aligned rock shafts 14 journaledin the block transversely to the chase and atopposite sides of said cavity. (See Fig. 4.) A shank I5 rigidly projectingfrom the sliding jaw occupies substantially one half of said cavity and has a thrust block 16 set into a recess thereof to receive the eccentric 12. The other half of said cavity is occupied by a shank i! upwardly projecting from a clamping piece 18 disposed beneath the base. The clamping piece I8 and adjacent shank have tongues 19 fitted in the slot 8 and meeting therein and are rigidly interconnected by a stud bolt 25. Set into the shank H is a thrust block 2! socketed to receive the eccentric it. The thrust blocks i6 and 2| are afiorded a limited sliding transversely to the corresponding shanks but have no material play lengthwise of said shanks. It is preferred, for reasons which will presently appeanto give the eccentric l2 which acts upon the shank I5 an eccentricity approximately twice that of the eccentric l3 acting on the shank IT.

The rock shafts M are similarly formed with radial sockets 22 wherein are fitted pins 23 terminallyformed on spacedfurcations 24 and 25 of a lever forrocking said shafts, the setting block having slots "26 in its ends toallow engagement of the pins in said sockets and allow the desired swinging of the furcations. Said lever comprises a tubular handle 2! receiving a long shank 28 on one of the 'furcations and a short shank 29 on the other, said handle being rotative on said shanks. A pin '30 transversely set into the shank 28 projects oppositely from said shank to engage in a pair ofspiral slots 3| oppositely formed in the tubular handle. (See Fig. 7.) This has the effect of retracting the handle when same is rotated, the slots being of suflicient length to permit of such retraction as will disengage the handle from the short shank. To positively retain the pins 23 in the sockets 22, screws 32 are centrally set into the outer ends of the two rock shafts and engage recesses in said pins. Preferably the tubular handle of the lever has a suitable grip 33 telescoped thereon, formed of fiber or the like.

In use of the described vise, the lever is adapted to actuate both rock Shafts l4 when the handle 21 is in its forward position, embracing the shanks of both furcations 24 and 25. This adjustment of the handle is preferred when differently dimensioned work pieces are to be clamped, it being consequently necessary to shift the unit comprised by the setting block and sliding jaw preliminary to successive insertions of said pieces. When a quantity of like work pieces are to be successively vised, the operator sets the sliding unit in position, lowers the lever to clamp the setting block 6 to the base and to clamp the initial work piece between the jaws, and then rotates the handle to efiect its retraction and release the shank 29. Thereafter the lever is effective on only one of the rock shafts, namely that carrying the eccentric l2, which takes effect through the shank I5 on the sliding jaw. While movement of said jaw relative to the setting block is slight and pref erably less than one sixteenth of an inch, it is ample to afford insertion and removal of work pieces.

In clamping the setting block to the base, it is to be understood that the eccentric I3 is raised slightly as it shifts about the axis of the corresponding rotating rock shaft, and this imposes a powerful upthrust on the shank l1 and hence on the clamping piece l8. Said shank and thrust piece respond only to the vertical component of the force applied by said eccentric since horizontal play of the thrust block 2| neutralizes the horizontal component of said force.

In applying clamping pressure to the the eccentric I2 moves slightly toward the fixed jaw 2 as said eccentric shifts about the axis of the corresponding rotating rock shaft, imposing a powerful thrust on the shank l5 and hence on the sliding jaw which carries said shank. Said shank and jaw respond only to the'horizontal component of the force applied by the eccentric, since vertical play of the thrust block I6 neutralizes the corresponding component of said force.

There are two reasons for a greater eccentricity of the eccentric l2 than that of the eccentric l3. First, such clamping travel of the sliding jaw as will afford ready insertion of work in the vise must materially exceed the lifting efiect which must be imposed on the shank H to clamp the setting block in place. Second, when the two eccentrics are actuated in common, it is necessary that the clamping pressure applied to the jaw 5 continue to increase somewhat after the clamping effect on the setting block has reached a substantial maximum. It is to be understood that concurrent actuation of the two eccentrics entails some slight sliding retraction of the setting block as the eccentric-induced forces build up, the block thus accommodating itself to the reaction of eccentric l2, after the jaw 5 is restrained by the work from further response to said eccentric.

The described vise is suited to save time in any jaw 5.

fixed on the base, a unit slidable operation entailing the vising of work, and is particularly economical of both time and labor when a quantity of like articles are to be successively vised.

It will be understood that the base of the vise may be fastened down, if desired to a work table or other support but in most uses the vise may rest freely on a supporting surface.

What I claim is:

1. A vise comprising a base, a clamping jaw fixed on the base, a unit slidable 0n the base to and from said jaw, such unit including a jaw paired with the fixed jaw and a setting block, mechanism carried by the setting block for clamping it to the base, mechanism carried by the setting block for applying work-clamping pressure to the sliding jaw, and a lever means mounted. on the setting block and operatively engageable with both said mechanisms to actuate them in common and alternatively disengageable from the mechanism for clamping the setting block to the base, whereby said lever means may solely actuate the mechanism for applying pressure to the sliding jaw.

2. A vise comprising a base, a clamping jaw fixed on the base, a unit slidable on the base to and from said jaw, such unit including a jaw paired with the fixed jaw and a setting block, a pair of aligned rock shafts journaled in the setting block, a lever adapted to rock both said shafts, means for clamping the setting block to the base responsive to one of said shafts, the lever being adjustable to release it from the last-mentioned shaft, while maintaining its operative connection to the other shaft, and means for applying work-clamping pressure to the sliding jaw from the other of said shafts.

3. A vise comprising a base, a clamping jaw on the base to and from said jaw, such unit including a jaw paired with the fixed jaw and a setting block, a clamping piece'for the setting block adapted to seat upwardly on the base, an element rotative on the setting block for applying a clamping reaction to the setting block and said clamping piece, an element rotative on the setting block for imposing work-clamping pressure on the sliding jaw, and a lever comprising a handle and furcations respectively effective on the respective said elements, the furcations having shanks differing in length and said handle embracing said shanks, and a pin transversely carried by the longer shank and engaging a substantially spiral slot in the handle, whereby the handle may be retracted by rotation on said shanks, to disengage it from the shorter shank.

4. A vise comprising a base, a clamping jaw fixed on the base, a unit slidable on the base to and from said jaw, such unit including a setting block and a jaw paired with the fixed jaw, a clamping piece for the setting block seating upwardly against the base, a shank attached to the clamping piece and extending upwardly into the setting block, a shank attached to and extending rearwardly from the sliding jaw into the setting block, a cam rotatively mounted in the setting block and reacting on the upwardly extending shank to clamp the setting block on the base, a

' cam rotatively mounted in the setting block and reacting on said rearwardly extending shank to apply work-clamping pressure to the slidingjaw, and means for rotating said cams.

5. In a vise as set forth in claim l, two substantially aligned rock-shafts journaled in the setting block and respectively carrying the resure on such jaw, a lever taking effect on both said cams to rotate the cams, and an element adjustable on the lever to effect its release from one of said cams.

- 7. A vise as set forth in claim 6, the last-mentioned element being a handle adjustable longitudinally on the lever to' effect its release from one of the cams. v

8. In a vise, a unit comprising a setting block, a jaw movable relative to said block for workclamping purposes, two substantially aligned rock-shafts journaled in the setting block, a cam carried by one of said shafts for clamping the block in a fixed position, a cam carried by the other of said shafts for applying work-clamping pressure to said jaw, said shafts having substantially radial sockets for receiving actuating elements, and the block being recessed from its outer fac to said shafts to afford engagement of such elements with the shaft and an eifective rocking of such elements.

9. A vise comprising a base, a clamping jaw fixed on the base, a unit slidable on the base to and from said jaw including a jaw paired with the fixed jaw and a setting block, a pair of aligned rock shafts journaled in the setting block, means for clamping the setting block to the base responsive to one of said shafts, means for applying work clamping pressure to the sliding jaw from the other of said shafts, and a lever having a handle and furcations through which the handle may take effect on the paired rock shafts, the handle being slidable to disengage it from one of said furcations.

THOMAS GORZELANY. 

